3D modelers are used in a wide variety of industries, such as the medical industry, the movie industry, the video game industry, the architecture industry, and the science sector. 3D modeling tools are especially useful in engineering applications for the design of new devices and structures. In the case of antenna design, electromagnetic simulation software programs typically include a 3D modeling tool to enable users to create antenna designs.
3D modeling tools have high learning curves due to the complex and large arrangement of controls and options, many of which can be obscure to users without any 3D modeling experience. For example, 3D modeling tools require management of the camera and the viewpoint of the object(s) being drawn. The problem is further compounded in electromagnetic simulation tools, where users deal with both the assembly of an antenna structure using 3D geometric primitives, but must also do so in accordance to principles of antenna engineering.
When creating a 3D antenna structure in an electromagnetic simulation program, the user assembles the antenna structure using building blocks, such as bricks or polygons, that have no logic or properties that reflect its purpose of functionality. For instance, in the case of a compound loop (CPL) antenna, if a user draws a rectangular brick to represent an electric field radiator, then this is represented by the 3D modeling tool simply as a 3D rectangular object without any properties or logic corresponding to an electric field radiator.
This discussion has also assumed that a user creating an antenna design already has the necessary knowledge to actually build an antenna. Antenna design varies depending on the type of antenna architecture being created, and many times it is only an expert user who has sufficient knowledge for actually creating an antenna design that meets efficiency and other specified requirements. Thus, if a user has no antenna design expertise, then the user faces the challenge of both learning how to use the electromagnetic simulation tool, how to create an antenna design using a 3D modeling tool, and how to arrange elements to create an actual antenna.